DAVID March admits he considered retiring before accepting twin brother Paul's offer to continue playing at the Cougars next season.

The 35-year-old enjoyed a pivotal role for Hunslet during the past season and had an outstanding game in their Grand Final win over Oldham.

He thought about hanging up his boots but when player-coach March asked him to come on board at Cougar Park in 2015, the loose forward accepted and has now set his sights on a second successive promotion next season.

The March brothers played together at Wakefield and Paul was player-coach to David at York and then Hunslet.

Thornhill-based David, who works as a supervisor in a glass factory, said: "After what we achieved this year at Hunslet, it got me thinking 'I want that winning feeling again'.

"As the season folded out, I was playing a lot of minutes and my main aim was to retire at the end of the year.

"But I sat down with my wife two days before the Grand Final and said 'I'm loving my rugby, I'm playing a lot of minutes and I don't want it to stop'.

"On the one hand, Hunslet got promoted and, as I'm 35 now, I had to be realistic about what I wanted to do as a player.

"But this opportunity came up at Keighley and I'm excited about the prospect of another promotion.

"Hunslet winning the league helped me make the decision to keep playing, so I'm now hoping we can go up at Keighley.

"Our Paul has been trying to get me on board here for a few years now."

David said he and Paul had drifted apart slightly after the Cougars player-boss left Hunslet and joined the Cougars in 2011.

But he is delighted to be reunited with his sibling and a few more familiar faces.

David said: "We were close but we did grow apart a bit – him going to Keighley and me staying at Hunslet – but now we're united again and it's great.

"I know what Paul is like and obviously I've grown up with him, so it's exciting to be back together.

"I've played under Paul for a few years and am looking forward to doing so again.

"I've always said to him that he will become a better coach when he stops playing.

"He's a good coach at the minute but coaching, when you're on the field, is a lot different to when you're off it.

"You can see a lot more when you're watching from the sidelines but he's a great coach at the minute.

"He's had it tough but he's building as a coach and he's still only young, so he will only get better.

"There are a lot of players at Keighley I have either played with or know about, so I can't wait for pre-season training.

"I played with Paul Handforth and Paul White at Wakefield and I'm really looking forward to teaming up with them again."

Like his brother, David is versatile but is hoping to become the Cougars' first-choice loose forward.

He said: "I've played a lot of positions but my main one is hooker. Under Paul though, I've always played loose forward.

"I moved back to hooker at Hunslet this year, which I enjoyed, but I feel my position at the minute is loose forward/back row.

"I moved there in the recent Grand Final against Oldham and I enjoyed it because I can play a lot of minutes out there. It's up to Paul where I play."

Meanwhile, loose forward Ash Lindsay has given the Cougars a boost by agreeing a deal to remain at Cougar Park next season.